April 18 – Ruffed Grouse – Fearless

Walking down a path on the North Shore, I hear the familiar sound of a grouse drumming nearby. Drumming peaks in April and May across northern Minnesota and the Lake Superior region. Each male maintains a drumming log within his territory and may use it for years. It’s both a mating call and a warning to rival males.

Each spring, the ruffed grouse lifts its wings and sends a deep, rolling drumbeat through the quiet forest. After enduring long northern winters of cold and scarcity, he emerges not weakened, but ready to declare life and territory with bold confidence. That accelerating rhythm — soft at first, then strong and steady — signals that the season has turned. 

His display is a reminder that resilience is often forged in silence. When the time is right, perseverance becomes proclamation, and what survived the winter now speaks with strength and hope.

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” — Proverbs 28:1

As I stood there close by, this bird stood fearless, driven by a force that overcame fear. What are your fears today? Christ is nearby; lean on Him.